Scene and Heard: Scene's News Blog

7 Concerts to Catch in Cleveland This Weekend

It seems like a strange pair. Stevie Nicks, the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll, and Vanessa Carlton, the singer-songwriter who more or less hasn’t been in the limelight since her 2002 piano smash “A Thousand Miles.” But the two, though decades apart in age, have been friends for some time now. Nicks even officiated Carlton’s wedding to Deer Tick’s John McCauley. And they’re on the road, playing all of the hits separately and also a couple together. (Laura Morrrison), 8 p.m. Covelli Centre (Youngstown).

Featuring Willie Nelson & Family, the Avett Brothers, Sheryl Crow, Blackberry Smoke, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real and Particle Kid, the Outlaw Music Festival that comes to Blossom today will feature a range of festival attractions to provide music fans in each city with "an unforgettable concert experience." Expect to see some on-stage collaboration as Willie Nelson's sons Lukas Nelson and Micah Nelson (aka Particle Kid) will likely join their singer and songwriter father for the show's finale. 5 p.m., $38-$258. Blossom.

Queens of the Stone Age/Royal Blood

Fresh off the release of their latest album, Villains, Queens of the Stone Age seem in top form right now. With production work from Mark Ronson, the new Queens material has a funky edge to it. The old desert rock vibes are still well intact, but songs like “Feet Don’t Fail Me” provide a new psychedelic dance party to the catalog — something that hasn’t been at the forefront of Josh Homme’s world for the past few QOTSA albums. Expect a setlist laden with the new stuff, but know too that Homme and the guys will be digging into their older material. It’s the perfect antidote to all the bad news happening in the world lately. That being said, this one sold out a while ago. Look for tickets wherever and however you can; you will not want to miss this show. (Eric Sandy), 7 p.m., $45-$75. The Agora Theatre.

I Love the '90s: The Party Continues Tour with TLC, Mark McGrath and Blackstreet

An era that gave us girl groups and boy bands, the '90s continues to be a source of nostalgia for thirty and forthysomethings. That's not to say the acts that will perform on tonight's bill have become irrelevant. TLC, the latest album from the hip-hop/R&B act TLC certainly suggests the group can still make music that matters, even if the tragic death of singer Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes has trimmed the trio to a duo. The album's rowdy opening number "No Introduction," serves as a wake-up call as singers Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins and Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas brag about their credentials over an abdomen-shaking bass riff. (Niesel) 7:30 p.m. 1212 West 6th Street. Tickets: $25-$250, ilovethe90stour.com/.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

Thee Oh Sees/The Gotobeds/Part Time Lover/DJ Alright/Richie Wohlfeil

Henry Rollins recently called them “the best rock band you’ve never heard of,” and he made a pretty compelling point. Despite releasing more than a dozen albums and leaving a deep lineage of punk roots across the U.S. (including at the late Speak In Tongues in Cleveland), Oh Sees remain firmly of the underground. The new album, Orc, continues to shepherd John Dwyer’s frenetic and impassioned songwriting skills into whatever audience will have him. You’d do well to tune in, too. It might help to think of Oh Sees as a late-night goodie bag dispensed to guests at an acid test, riddled with mysterious stimulations and distractions for the psychedelic punk voyager. Just spin “Cadaver Dog” and try to tell us you don’t feel like a cosmonaut. (Sandy), 9 p.m., $19 ADV, $21 DOS. Beachland Ballroom.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 17

Steve Martin & Martin Short/The Steep Canyon Rangers/Steve Babko

Since 2009, comedian Steven Martin has played bluegrass music with Steep Canyon Rangers. Martin rarely tours with the band, but he's spent the better part of the summer touring with the group. Martin along with comedian Martin Short, who sings and serves a comedic foil for Martin, have dubbed this tour "An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Lives." The concert features the Steep Canyon Rangers and Jeff Babko. Expect stand-up, film clips, musical numbers and conversations about Martin and Short's lives in show business. (Niesel), 8 p.m., $57.50-$115. Jacobs Pavilion.

Mutemath

The indie rock band Mutemath doesn’t fit the textbook definition of a Christian rock group. The songs don’t make vague references to a higher power and our need to live according to a moral code. And each song isn’t an over-the-top anthem that just oozes with righteousness. But the church did play a significant role in the band’s formation. Drummer Darren King met singer-keyboardist Paul Meany in April of 1997 at a church. The two have toured and recorded as Mutemath ever since. Play Dead, the band's latest album, features shimmering pop tunes ("Hit Parade") and dance-y electronic tracks ("Stroll On") that should give tonight's show a party vibe. (Niesel), 7 p.m., $22-$32. House of Blues.